One resident, Denise Holden, told local CBS affiliate KLAS, “None of us could afford that problem and the only people that seem to want to afford it were the HOA people that work here”. Nevada law gave residents a way out because it allows a community to overturn an HOA budget if a majority of homeowners sign a petition, as reported by The Sun. For the Bavington Court community, they needed 137 signatures to reject the fee hike — and they collected 151, which was enough to overturn the HOA’s plan.
HOA fee increase fight
Holden celebrated the win and said, “More than a relief, it’s fantastic because I thought I was going to lose my home and everything else, and I’m just so grateful everyone joined in”. But the fight is not completely over because Nevada law does not limit how much HOAs can increase fees each year. So this same battle could happen again next year.
Resident Christy Escamilla, who has lived there for three years, said, “If it stops it for this next year at least, I have time to prepare for the next one and we know that we could do it, so hopefully it works again”, as stated by The Sun. Residents could not stop another HOA charge called a special assessment fee, which is a required payment for big repairs or projects the HOA plans. State law does not require homeowners to approve these special assessments, but residents now want the HOA to clearly explain how this money will be used.
HOA crackdowns in the U.S.
Across the U.S., many states are trying to limit the power of HOAs. Minnesota lawmakers introduced a bill requiring HOAs to share a clear list of fines and fees, allow homeowners to contest fines, give time to fix violations, and ban charging people for asking questions.
Arizona lawmakers proposed new rules that force HOAs to follow strict steps when approving expenses and creating budgets. Florida passed a bill limiting how much control HOAs have over tenants’ property. It also bans HOAs from fining people for leaving trash cans out or keeping holiday lights up too long.
In Atlanta, bipartisan lawmakers introduced bills to stop overly aggressive HOAs and protect homeowners. California introduced a bill requiring supervised HOA elections and making HOA boards follow certain homeowner requests, as per the report by The Sun. Colorado created new HOA rules that require stronger transparency between HOA boards and residents. And across the country, the Federal Fair Housing Act sets basic housing standards for all homeowners, renters, and landlords.
FAQs
Q1. Why did the Las Vegas HOA try to raise fees to $490?
The HOA planned a big fee increase to cover community costs, but homeowners overturned it by collecting enough petition signatures.
Q2. Can HOA fee hikes be stopped in Nevada?
Yes, homeowners can stop an HOA budget by getting a majority to sign a petition, but there is no limit on how much HOAs can raise fees each year.